Fitness trends come and go, but one exercise continues to be one of the easiest, cheapest, and proven to be effective: walking. Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, even described it as man’s best friend. ‘You have two doctors,’ he said. ‘Your left foot and your right foot.’ Here are some reasons to start walking—and loving every step.
1. What’s so great about walking?
Walking burns about a 100 calories per mile (that’s 1.6 kilometers) and can be used by anyone—regardless of age and athletic ability. Kids, elderly, even an Olympic medal winner on the mend can do it. Best of all, it’s free and can be done anywhere, any time.
2. Why don’t people like walking?
So why is walking overlooked as an effective workout next to more popular forms of exercise like lifting weights, spinning on a stationary bike, or sweating it out on a hip-hop dance class? Well, it’s not as trendy as the other routines, and doesn’t get you gold models or Facebook brag rights like a triathlon.
And walking has always struck people as a ‘difficult’ chore: you can run on the treadmill for an hour or engage in a fast game of badminton for two hours, but taking the stairs to work? Man, that’s tiring!
3.Why should I try walking?
If you haven’t exercised in years or are about to for the very first time, try to break your body in by walking. Sure a brisk pace might help you sweat sooner, but there’s much to gain from a leisurely stroll too.
Regular, easy walking increases life expectancy. It can help prevent and manage coronary heart disease, as well as hypertension, diabetes, osteoporosis and depression. This occurs through improved balance of blood fats, better clogging factors, improved circulation, and the ability to more effectively regulate blood sugar. Walking is also associated with a lower rate of colon cancer, stroke and low-back injury.
4. How do I ease myself into a walking routine?
Start with a pace you’re comfortable with, establish a rhythm between your walking and breathing, and gradually pick up the pace or go longer when you feel you can do more. And from there, see where it takes you. Some have used walking as a stepping stone to other sports. But for many, walking is a workout enough, a no-frills, no-impact routine that promises a healthy body and sound mind and spirit.
5. Why should ‘fit’ people try walking?
If you’ve already got a regular exercise routine, then consider walking as a low-impact way to cross-train. It’s certainly a nice way for your muscles to recover (and still burn calories) a day after an intense gym workout. If your sport has left you injured, you can walk for the meantime, provided your injury isn’t a sprained foot, twisted ankle, or involves the knees. Walking in a pool in waist- or chest-high water is soothing to sore leg muscles.
6. What kind of shoes should I get?
Walking is free, but you may want to buy a good pair of walking shoes, one that offers cushioning as well as stability and support. Go for a shoe fit rather than size; usually a shoe that’s a half or full size bigger than your regular shoe size is better because your feet tend to ‘swell’ after standing or walking longer than you normally do. Sweat-wicking socks are also recommended. Make sure they’re neither too thick or too thin.
7. How much walking do I need to do?
Walking 10,000 steps a day is actually achievable, especially if you inject it throughout your day. Park your car the farthest you can and walk to and from your office building. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. Skip a taxi ride if you know you can reach your destination by walking. And take walking breaks when you’ve spent hours sitting in front of your office computer. Time (and the miles) flies when you’re walking with someone, say your husband or a friend. But a 30-minute walk alone after dinner is just as enjoyable, as it allows you time for yourself, a moment to review the day’s events or a chance for prayer and reflection.
A pedometer is another helpful piece of equipment you can buy. The tiny device that you clip to yourself counts the number of steps you take. Some experts recommend aiming for 10,000 steps a day (about 5 miles or almost 10 kilometers) for optimum health.